under body tray

[cndctrdj]

ive been playing around with the idea of an underbody tray for the sonic. i think it will improve gas mileage and help the car handle a little better.
my only basis for these thoughts is that less wind resistance helps gas mileage and the car handles better when i put on the bely pan so more of the same should be good.

anyone have any ideas of what the worst part could be under the car? where i could mount things? what might be beneficial?
let me know your ideas please

 

[Natesriv]

that part under the engine isn't on mine (or newer Sonics).. what material were you thinking? Would a glued on connection system work? Where the point of connection, especially around the middle, are glued to the underbody. Perhaps you could do a continuation of the front cover, down the back, with a cutout section to let heat escape...

like this crappy chop I just whipped up

 

[JackGSonic]

Perhaps rear facing vents could help let heat escape while still smoothing the area over the cats and resonator? Something like the vents on the Seibon CF Hood.

 

[Stew]

Check this out over on cruzetalk:

Major discovery!

The guy in this thread used Buick panels that seemed to be a direct fit, I wonder if they'd fit good on the Sonic too since so much is shared between the Cruze/Sonic.

It's not quite the full underbody pan like in your photochop but not bad, plus the engineering has already been done!

 

[River_Rat]

Pretty unlikely. Cruze and Verano share the same platform. Sonic and Cruze share a drive train, but are quite different otherwise.

 

[cndctrdj]

Stew. Good find. That's cool that Gm did that much with that platform. I'll see what I can find out and see what I can come up with

 

[cndctrdj]

Natesriv the engine belly pan came on early models and I got mine aftermarket

 

[Natesriv]

I have the metal screw inserts into the underbelly portion they kept, but the actual inner portion I don't have...I'd like one!

 

[attrapereves]

I hate those things for changing oil.

 

[JackGSonic]

Cruze = Verano, Sonic = Regal/Encore. Anyone know if the Regal or Encore have belly pans?

 

[Natesriv]

I hate those things for changing oil.

twice a year you have to deal with it, after that you reap the benefits

 

[Scot]

Cruze = Verano, Sonic = Regal/Encore. Anyone know if the Regal or Encore have belly pans?

Sonic = Encore

Malibu = Regal.

Verano underbody:

Encore underbody:

 

[cndctrdj]

I've got a ton of ideas and I think I'll be able to play around this weekend a bit. I have yarn and tape and my Gopro charged up. If the weather hold up I'll be able to tuft test the car today

 

[krakenredbeard]

Man this wasn't what I was hoping to see. I need a skid plate that will protect the goods under the car for when I go with coils.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[attrapereves]

twice a year you have to deal with it, after that you reap the benefits

My old Mercedes 300D had one but I left it off. It was far to difficult putting it back into place unless you have access to a car lift.

 

[ss2000slp]

Check this out over on cruzetalk:

Major discovery!

The guy in this thread used Buick panels that seemed to be a direct fit, I wonder if they'd fit good on the Sonic too since so much is shared between the Cruze/Sonic.

It's not quite the full underbody pan like in your photochop but not bad, plus the engineering has already been done!

Interesting link. Just wish every thread over on cruzetalk didn't have an amsoil dealer talking about "laminar flow". Hopefully someone on this forum that has a cruze and a sonic can look underneath and compare the differences.

 

[Luv2xlr8]

I change my oil with that belly pan always on and never have a problem.....except I have a 1.8. Lol

 

[RMinNJ]

I'm thinking the Sonic engine belly pan that they discontinued was strictly because of easy maintenance? It seems to offer a lot of proctection from road debris etc...
Did Sonics really catch on fire from it? On the highway I guess it won' triple one's MPG but I can see it stopping a lot of salt and debris getting on the bottom of the engine compartment in the winter.

 

[TurtleOverlord]

Has anyone had issues from lack of included belly pan in the newer models?

I drove in this past snow storm and the next day the car wouldnt start.
Just a click and the DIC would go black.

Thawed the car in the garage, and then it was back to normal.

 

[cndctrdj]

That was probably your battery being low.

No problem with or without the belly pan.